The complications which may arise  College of Health Sciences  University of Zimbabwe  Department of and Gynaecology  is divided into three trimesters  Some complications peculiar to trimesters  First trimester  Week 1 to end of Week 12  Second trimester  Week 13 to end of Week 26  Third trimester  Week 27 to the end of pregnancy  Care during pregnancy  Reduces complications to the mother and the baby  Identifies both pre-existing diseases and diseases that develop during the course of the pregnancy  Interventions can be done early  Good forum for educating the expecting mothers on  Self care  What to expect as pregnancy progresses  How to recognise pregnancy complications  The following are screened for during the antenatal period locally  Anaemia  group  Urinary tract infection  Syphylis  HIV infection  Diabetes in those at risk  Field of feto-maternal medicine growing  Screening for foetal abnormalities  Placental position  Foetal growth  Morning Sickness   Excessive  Loss of weight  Loss of muscle mass  Electrolyte imbalance  Lower abdominal discomfort and pain  Stretching of the ligaments that support the  Lower  Bleeding  Bleeding might be with clots   Pregnancy implanted in the fallopian tube  Fallopian tube eventually ruptures  Bleeding into the abdomen   Abnormal placental tissue  Lower abd pain, bleeding  Urinary tract infection  Frequency of urination  Burning pain on urination  May be blood in the urine  Candidiasis  Fungal infection  Whitish discharge  Has curds  Causes itchiness and burning sensation on the vulva  Second/third trimester  Leading cause of complications in pregnancy  Maternal complications  Neonatal complications  Among the leading causes of worldwide  Raised blood pressure before 20 weeks  Chronic hypertension  Raised blood pressure after 20 weeks   Pre- – Hypertension associated with loss of protein in the urine  Eclampsia – Associated with fits  Symptoms of impending fits in severe hypertension in pregnancy   Blurring of vision  Pain in the upper part of the abdomen  Hypertension in pregnancy as above  Pre-labour preterm rupture of the membranes  Draining of before 37 weeks  Risk of infection  Risk of prolapse of the cord  Bleeding before the beginning of labour  (low-lying placenta)  (premature separation of the placenta)  Rarely bleeding may be due to cancer  Prelabour rupture of the membranes at term  Draining amniotic fluid at term  Risk of maternal and neonatal infection  Risk of prolapse of the umbilical cord  Premature labour  7 – 12% of  Infection might be a trigger  Baby prone to complications of prematurity  Infection  Respiratory distress  Jaundice  Hypothermia  Electrolyte imbalances  Foetal distress  Failed progress   Ruptured uterus  Postpartum haemorrhage  Responsible for 25% of maternal deaths annually worldwide  Atonic uterus  Retained products  Trauma to the genital tract  Coagulation abnormalities  Puerperal sepsis  Premature rupture of membranes  Premature labour  Inadequate aseptic technique  Assisted vaginal delivery  Caesarean section